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Parmley Family History

Parmley Surname Meaning

English (mainly Cumberland and Durham): presumably a habitational name perhaps from a post-medieval form of Parmentley in Whitfield (Northumberland) which is recorded as Parmaly in 1698.

The placename appears to derive from Middle English permain ‘pear’ (Old French parmain permain) + leie ‘clearing meadow’ (Old English lēah ‘woodland clearing’).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Parmley family from?

You can see how Parmley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Parmley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Parmley families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 78 Parmley families living in Durham. This was about 34% of all the recorded Parmley's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Parmley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Parmley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Parmley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Parmley. 56% of Parmley men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Parmley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Parmley were Roadstone Quarryman and Unpaid House Duties.

View Census Data for Parmley | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    56%
  • Contractors Labourer
    23%
  • Roadstone Quarryman
    23%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Domestic Servant
    7%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    5%
  • Unpaid House Duties
    4%

What Parmley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Parmley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Parmley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Parmley

Passenger Lists

There are 444 immigration records available for the last name Parmley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Parmley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Parmley. For the veterans among your Parmley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Parmley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Parmley family history

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What is the average Parmley lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Parmley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Parmley in 1940 was 36, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Parmley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Parmley ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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